A fish out of water

Update: This might be a Monkeyface Eel, Cebidichthys violaceus. See Apr 2, 2007 entry.

If you know which species this dour-looking individual is, please let me know. He (she?) was found loitering in a cranny during an unusually low tide (-1.6). More than one of these fish were in the same temporary predicament, but under no apparent duress. A fish that survives out of water?

A fish out of water
Photographed during a -1.6 tide Dec 3, 2006

The difficult angle, combined with slippery seaweed and the ankle-slap of incoming waves borne by the rising tide made quick action a requirement. And it’s yet another testament to the utility of a flash built into the camera body—the handy Nikon D200.

When are Nikon and Canon going to understand that built-in flashes are perfectly appropriate on their top-line models?. Or how about a pancake flash instead of the huge “on-steroids” models we are currently forced to lug around. Even the $30K Hasselblad H2D has a built-in flash.